Satellite tv for pc messaging may very well be coming to T-Cell customers on Android 15

Satellite tv for pc connectivity in smartphones has been a scorching subject ever since Apple launched it within the iPhone 14 sequence. There’s a whole lot of work that goes into enabling satellite tv for pc connectivity on a cellular machine, which is why progress has been gradual on the Android facet of issues. Happily, it’s trying an increasing number of doubtless that we’ll see telephones working Android 15 ship with satellite tv for pc connectivity help.

In a earlier Android beta launch, we noticed a hidden satellite tv for pc messaging web page that we believed would tie into T-Cell and SpaceX’s satellite tv for pc messaging service. With the discharge of the second Android 15 beta this week, although, a number of T-Cell customers have discovered that this web page has gone reside for them.

Most types of satellite tv for pc connectivity require new {hardware}, which is an enormous motive why so few smartphones help the function proper now. The dearth of an business commonplace on how one can join smartphones to satellites additionally hasn’t helped adoption, because it’s led to {hardware} distributors creating their very own proprietary options, additional rising the combination price for smartphone makers. Some satellite tv for pc connectivity suppliers are planning to supply direct-to-cell cellphone service, although, which doesn’t require any kind of specialised {hardware}.

T-Cell and SpaceX, for instance, have been collaborating to convey satellite tv for pc messaging to present LTE-capable telephones since 2022, with the latter efficiently launching and testing Starlink satellites which can be “Direct to Cell” succesful. The 2 corporations even introduced plans to roll out satellite tv for pc connectivity help this yr, beginning with textual content messages. Thus, it’s solely a matter of weeks or months till T-Cell subscribers can ship textual content messages by way of satellite tv for pc.

In preparation for this launch, Google has created a brand new “Satellite tv for pc Messaging” web page in Android 15’s settings. The web page tells customers how they’ll “ship and obtain textual content messages by satellite tv for pc as a part of an eligible […] account.” Texts aren’t restricted to emergency companies, too, because the web page explicitly notes which you can “textual content anybody” as long as your cellphone is related to a satellite tv for pc. With the intention to get one of the best reference to a satellite tv for pc, your cellphone must have “a transparent view of the sky” as a result of “climate and sure constructions might have an effect on your satellite tv for pc connection.”

After we first found Android’s “Satellite tv for pc Messaging” web page in Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2, I couldn’t get it to seem in settings, so I needed to manually launch it. Due to that, a few of the textual content was clean, akin to wherever the identify of the service is meant to be proven. Beneath the hood, although, I found that the buttons to “add satellite tv for pc messaging” to your account or study “extra about satellite tv for pc messaging” had been coded to open a web page on T-Cell’s web site. This web page wasn’t (and nonetheless isn’t) reside, nevertheless it did counsel that Android was gearing as much as help T-Cell and SpaceX’s satellite tv for pc messaging service.

With the discharge of Android 15 Beta 2 earlier this week, although, the Android’s “Satellite tv for pc Messaging” web page has began to go reside for T-Cell customers. A number of customers on Reddit’s T-Cell group report that they’re now in a position to entry “Satellite tv for pc Messaging” underneath Settings > Community & Web > SIMs > T-Cell in Android 15 Beta 2. Reddit consumer erichola, who says they’re on T-Cell’s Magenta plan, shared a screenshot from their Pixel 7 displaying that satellite tv for pc messaging is included with their account.

One other consumer, Redditor jonathan3579, shared a screenshot from their Pixel 8 Professional displaying the service can also be out there for them, although they’re subscribed to a “transformed SWAC (Dash Wi-fi Benefit Membership)” plan and never Magenta. Apparently, one consumer who says they’re on a Magenta MAX army plan was informed they don’t have satellite tv for pc messaging included with their plan. It’s unclear which plans will likely be eligible for satellite tv for pc messaging, however we’d wager that solely the finest T-Cell plans will likely be.

Since T-Cell and SpaceX haven’t really publicly launched satellite tv for pc messaging but, it’s unlikely these customers will have the ability to ship textual content messages by way of satellite tv for pc proper now. They’d doubtless have to additionally watch for an replace to roll out to the Google Messages app to allow its satellite tv for pc messaging help. We’re additionally ready on the satellite tv for pc pointing UI that guides customers to level their cellphone in the direction of a close-by satellite tv for pc, although this doubtless gained’t roll out till the launch of the Google Pixel 9 sequence later this yr.

Should you’re not on T-Cell, you then’ll doubtless have to attend a bit longer to ship textual content messages by way of satellite tv for pc out of your Android cellphone. Should you’re on AT&T, luckily, you gained’t have to take a look at your pals on T-Cell with envy for too lengthy. Earlier at present, AT&T introduced a industrial settlement with AST SpaceMobile to construct a satellite-based mobile community of its personal, very similar to the one which’s quickly to be launched by T-Cell. It’s doubtless that Google designed Android’s “Satellite tv for pc Messaging” web page to be generic, solely surfacing it when the service configuration returns that it’s provided, so the web page we’re seeing at present also needs to seem for AT&T subscribers sooner or later.